Better Than Trash
by My blue rose
Summary: AU. Time travel. Kakashi was killed by Pain, but instead of being resurrected, he wakes up almost three years in the past just about to receive his new team. Will his information about the future save everyone or destroy them? ON HIATUS
1. Intro

**Beter Than Trash**

**Prologue: What If I?**

Hatake Kakashi was an exceptionally skilled shinobi.

A genius by anyone's standards and humble enough that he could admit this without any arrogance. He was a ninja who had killed so many people and completed so many missions that he could no longer remember them all.

But his opponent was better. Hatake Kakashi was about to die.

This did not really bother him because Hatake Kakashi always knew he would die protecting the Hidden Village of Konoha. When he was six years old and had just made Chuunin, he knew he would die protecting its rules, regulations and laws to the very letter. When he was thirteen and had made Jounin, he knew he would die protecting its citizens and his comrades. When he joined ANBU, he knew he would die protecting its secrets.

Now, he was twenty nine and about to die in the middle of the village he loved, as he always knew he would. It was funny how time seemed to slow down, the seconds stretching so that they felt like hours. Now that the moment he had been expecting his whole life was here, Hatake Kakashi felt… disappointed.

They say that when you die your whole life flashes before your eyes. This was wrong. It was nothing so dramatic as that. What flashed before Kakashi's eyes was not his whole life but merely his mistakes. As he was a man given to regrets and introspection, this was no different than what he thought about every night before falling asleep (and if he was unlucky, in his dreams too).

Although he tried to live in the present as much as possible (and really, an inattentive ninja was a dead one) he had always been plagued by the words _what if I_?

_What if I_ hadn't been such a stuck up brat when I was a kid? Would Obito still be alive?

_What if I_ had been stronger? Would Sensei not have been killed?

_What if I_ had been smarter? Would Uchiha Itachi have still killed his clan?

_What if I_ had been wiser? Would Sasuke not have left?

_What if I_ had cared more? Would Naruto have developed faster?

_What if I _had been more observant? Would Sakura have found her place sooner?

As the darkness closed around him, Hatake Kakashi would have sworn he heard familiar long dead voices telling him everything would be alright. He almost believed it.


	2. Chapter 1

**Chapter One: Scars**

The darkness was warm and soft.

Hatake Kakashi felt so good that he never wanted to move. Idly, he realized that he was in no pain. How long had it been since he had felt no pain at all? A year? Two? Even the familiar ache in his left eye was gone. He'd been relying on it too much for… how long now? At least a few years. Since Sasuke…

Was this the Pure Land? Funny, you would think there would be more light…

_Cheereep! Cheereep!_

Gasping, Kakashi jackknifed into a sitting position, sending his blankets to the floor. He had automatically grabbed the kunai he kept under his pillow, holding it tightly enough to block an attack but loose enough to throw. Senses stretching he scanned the room.

It was sparely furnished. There was only a small bookshelf, the bed he was on, and a desk. The bookshelf supported a microwave and currently held what looked like a sparse bachelor's pantry, some folded clothes, three shuriken cases, two kunai cases, a few packages of exploding tags. And, seemingly out of place, several books.

It was his apartment.

_Cheereep! Cheereep!_

A small bird was on the window sill, obviously trying to get his attention. Feeling slightly embarrassed, he lowered the kunai. What was he doing here? He should be at the hospital… shouldn't he? He had thought there was no way he could survive, but he had come out of desperate situations before alive.

Shaking his head slightly, he got out of bed and opened the window. He could not stop the gasp that escaped his lips. The village was… untouched. There was no damage. At all. He could not remember seeing Konoha look so perfect since before Orochimaru and the Sound Nin's attack.

Looking down at himself he pulled up his shirt. While his skin was far from unmarked (he was an active combat ninja after all) his torso looked… different. There was no sign of fresh scars or redness you would expect after f recovering from a battle against someone like Pain. Had it all been a dream?

But no… it couldn't be… he looked at his chest more closely. Running his hand along all the familiar scar tissue, he realized he was missing a scar. Zabuza had given him that scar. It had been thicker than his little finger and rough because he had not been able to get to a medic-nin in time to reduce the scaring. Not that he cared about things like that. But he had become so used to the scar that its absence was… disturbing.

_Cheereep! Cheereep!_

The little bird, fed up with being ignored, had pecked him hard enough to draw blood. Resisting the urge to crush the annoying thing, he stared at his bleeding finger. Was this some sort of elaborate genjutsu? He should be able to see through this… and it felt so_real_. The little bird flew away twittering. He pressed the finger into the kunai he was still holding.

Yes, that _hurt_… and everything still looks the same… not a genjutsu then. What was going _on_? His room looked almost exactly as he had left it. Right down to his shuriken bed cover and the door that he never used and he didn't bother to lock. But, scanning the room once more, there was something wrong…

Why was there only one picture by his bed?

He picked it up. It was the picture he had looked at almost everyday for nearly eighteen years. There was Sensei and Obito smiling like idiots and Rin with her own shy smile. And him, looking surly and annoyed. This picture was his most prized possession, but where was the other picture? The one that looked so similar and that he valued almost as much as the first?

"Oi, Kakashi!"

He had not sensed anyone coming, he had been distracted. He dropped the photo and spun around, crouched in a defensive position, kunai held in front of him. The sound of breaking glass filled the air as the frame shattered as it hit the floor. Not waiting to find out who has called him, he used the distraction to launch himself at the door.

Right into a surprised looking Asuma. Who, not missing a beat, with two hands grabbed the wrist holding the kunai and twisted it out of the way. This meant he was unable to doge Kakashi's follow up rigged-hand strike to his solar plexus. He grunted as all the air left his lungs, and leaped backward colliding with the doorframe.

Meanwhile, Kakashi was back in his defensive stance, mentally cursing. The apartment was really too small to use ninjutsu and he had yet to put on his flack vest and shuriken and kunai holders. Then again, he had never really expected to be attacked in his own apartment.

"_Kakashi_! What the _hell_was that for?" the Asuma lookalike wheezed.

"Who are you?" he demanded.

"What do you mean, who am I? Shit man, did you hit your head this morning? I like to spare as much as the next person but at least give me some warning next time, alright?" Asuma rubbed his stomach, making a face.

"You gonna clean that up?" he nodded toward the picture on the floor.

Kakashi did not turn around.

"Hey, why do you look like you've seen a ghost?" Asuma laughed at his own joke.

"Who are you?" he repeated.

"You're acting really weird today, you know? It me, Asuma. The Old Man sent me here to fetch you when you didn't respond to the bird. You're starting to taking this being late thing too far, you know? Today's the day you get your new team, remember?

Kakashi just stared at him. Asuma shifted nervously.

"Uh, are you sick or something? You don't look so good to me. And you're acting stranger than usual?"

"You died," Kakashi whispered.

Asuma's face changed into an expression of sympathy. Walking up to Kakashi, he put a arm around his shoulders, in a not quite hug. Kakashi flinched but did not otherwise protest.

"Hey, it was just a bad dream, alright? We all get 'em. You're such a good shinobi I forget sometimes that you're still human. No wonder you're all in a funk this morning. I'm not dead, promise - though I might wish I am, after I get my gennin team. Don't know why I allowed the Old Man to talk me into this… here sit down."

With the arm still around He forced to the bed where he made him sit down. Then he looked him over as if checking for an injury. Seeming satisfied, he straitened shaking his head.

"At least it doesn't look like you hurt yourself. Here, I'll clean this up for you." He noticed Kakashi staring at the photo on the floor.

Bending down he shook the glass off the frame and removed the picture, handing it to Kakashi. Then he swept the floor clean of glass using his hands, and dumped the shards in the trash can by the bookshelf. The whole time he kept up a commentary about the potential Genin students, and did Kakashi know that the nine-tails kid had made Genin last night after Mizuki turned traitor?

Kakashi said nothing. His mind felt blank, like radio static. This could not be real. It just could not be. Asuma alive! Konoha unscathed, him twenty-six years old again… and Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura all waiting to see who their Jounin sensei will be. Abruptly he stood up, startling Asuma who made a small noise of protest. He words died on his lips when he saw the masked face. He put on his flack vest, kunai and shuriken holders and gloves. Then turning to Asuma he said:

"Thank you."

"Yeah, anytime. I know you miss your friends," he glanced at the photo Kakashi had left on the bed. "But you have friends who are still alive, you know that, right? If you ever feel like this again you can call me, and I'll be right over. I'll even let you hit me again, alright?" he smiled, but it did not reach the worry in his eyes.

Kakashi nodded. "I'm alright."

In fact, he was more than alright. He had the urge to laugh at the hand fate had again dealt him, but he was afraid he world never stop if he did. And by the look Asuma was still giving him, Kakashi doubted he would let him leave the apartment. He could not have that happening. Smiling, he leapt out the window. He had students teach.

Half way to his destination he realized he was being followed.

This did not surprise or particularly concern him, considering the speed he was using as he leaped from rooftop to rooftop. _Probably ANBU_… he thought idly, feeling a vague sense of satisfaction that they were doing their job properly. He was heading toward the ninja academy, in a rather circuitous manner, as fast as he could. It was something he had not done since he was a kid but he found he could not help himself.

He was ecstatic. He felt like he might fly off into the clouds if he was not careful. He could not remember ever being this _happy,_for lack of a better term, before. It was not just the presence of Konoha in its undamaged—if ragtag—state. It was the absence of something he had not even noticed was there.

For the last ten years he had felt a mounting tension as the ninja world contracted into a game of intrigue and political posturing and then exploded into another world war. Now the pressure was gone. The anxiety was still there—_what would happen in the future, would his friends, his students, his village survive_?

But Kakashi had lived with these thoughts all his life. What was gone was the_inevitability._ What was gone was the hopelessness that he had felt as he saw as the world he had fought for, the world that so many good people had gave their_life_ for, slide into a ninja war that promised to be more devastating than the previous ones combined.

No, the pressure was gone because he could _change_ things.

He arrived at the Academy's classroom earlier than last time, but still late enough that his team were the only ones inside. And, just like before, and eraser was wedged in the crack of the sliding door above his head. Smiling faintly to himself, he slid the door open and swiftly ducked under the eraser, causing it to fall to the floor behind him with a dull thump. All three of his students jumped their eyes wide. Sasuke recovered quickest, surprised face sliding back into an apathetic mask.

"That was awesome, Sensei!" Naruto stood up and punched the air with a fist.

Sakura bit her lip looking like she wanted to agree with Naruto but, after glancing at Sasuke, she settled for crossing her arms across her chest and rolling her eyes. God, they were small. The Naruto he knew was almost his height. Hell, the kid would surpass him next growth spurt. Even Sakura would grow so that her head was above Kakashi's shoulders. But it was the eyes that struck him the most. The team seven he knew had hard eyes; the veterans of many battles and mourners of many deaths. Even Sasuke's black eyes, unmarred by any hint of red, looked unscarred compared with the hate glazed ones Kakashi associated with the man he would become.

He had forgotten how young they all were.

"Meet you on the roof," he said, as something that felt like remorse coiled in his gut.

They made their way onto the roof without comment. Kakashi sat on the railing ran around the edge of the roof while his team sat down on the tiered steps in the seating area. Sasuke had a feigned expression of disinterest while Sakura looked nervous and Naruto was positively buzzing with excitement.

"Now then," he said, a nervous knot forming a stomach. Beginnings were such delicate things. "I'd like you all to tell us a little about yourselves. Your likes and dislikes, your dreams for future, hobbies…"

Like last time he got three blank stares in response. Oookay. He was planning on doing things differently this time, so he might as well start now. The last time he had had very little hope after what the Third told him about his Genin. So he had put in the minimal effort into getting to know or care for them. He had also resented being chosen to be the leader of Team 7. He had not wanted to be a sensei, hence the bell test. It was traditional and the hardest to past.

He usually was allowed to choose which team he got to fail. However Sarutobi-sama had forced him into being the sensei for Naruto, his beloved Sensei's son and the Nine-Tails vessel, and Sasuke, the last Uchiha and a child whose psychological profile suggested that the probability to defect like his brother was high. Sasuke issues had forced him to focus on him to the detriment of Naruto and Sakura. In the end he had failed all of them. Sasuke had turned traitor despite his efforts while Naruto and Sakura became great ninja without him.

He would fix that, starting right now.

"How 'bout I start? My name is Hakate Kakashi. Things that I like… Well, I like teamwork… and miso soup with eggplant. Things I don't like, hm… I _hate_ people who don't take care of their comrades… and I'm not fond of punctuality or tempura. Hobbies? I like to read… As for my dreams for the future, I intend to make this the best Genin team in Konoha.


	3. Chapter 2

**A/N: I consolidated two chapters because they were short and accidental reposted this. Sorry :P**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Two: Questions<strong>

"Now, it's your turn."

Naruto piped up as expected and Kakashi listened to him enthuse over the different kinds of ramen. This time though, he felt amused instead of exasperated with the boy's behavior. He was hard pressed not to smile at the pleasure Naruto took from his favorite food.

"My dream is to become Hokage! Then all the people of this village will acknowledge my existence!"

"You don't have to become Hokage for people to do that, you know." He said in his usual lazy drawl.

"What?"

"If you want people to acknowledge your existence then you should settle for being a good ninja. There is no need to go through all that work if all you want is people to acknowledge you." He paused and continued in a more serious tone.

"But if you someday become Hokage only because you want people to acknowledge your existence, I will not follow you. Neither will most of the Ninja in this village."

"Why not? The Hokage is the strongest person in the village!" Naruto looked shocked.

"You're right. The Hokage is the strongest ninja, but that's not why we follow him." _Mostly_, he added to himself.

"Then why—," Naruto began.

"Because Konoha is different. In all of the other villages strength is the only requirement to become Kage but we were founded on different principles that we honor to this day." He looked at the Hokage monument for a moment before speaking.

"The Hokage is the most important ninja not only because he is the strongest but because he is the most selfless. He, or she," he added, looking at Sakura and remembering Tsunade. "Must be willing to give everything for this village. This is why every Hokage has given their life defending Konoha. All except the Third."

And he didn't live to see his true retirement either. Kakashi sighed. Sarutobi-sama would live this time if he had anything to say about it.

"Naruto, if you want to become Hokage because you love the people of this village and the values that it stands for, I'll do everything in my power to help you. But," He gave Naruto a sharp look. "If you try to become Hokage for selfish reasons, I'll do everything in my power to stop you."

"Scary Sensei..." Naruto muttered, looking intimidated but also thoughtful.

"You next," he said to Sasuke.

"My names Uchiha Sasuke. There are tons of things I dislike, but I don't really like anything. And… I don't want to call it a "dream" but…I have an ambition. The resurrection of my clan and… to kill a certain man."

Kakashi looked at the boy who was hiding behind his dark bangs. Naruto was easy to redirect but Sasuke… the boy was already so focused on revenge it consumed his entire life. Last time he hadn't thought Sasuke's desire for vengeance such a bad thing. Itachi needed to be killed and it made him driven, more so than his peers.

He had sought to guide the boy gently and had indulged him, thinking that the bonds of camaraderie between ninja teammates would curb his antisocial tendencies, just as it had for himself. But Sasuke was not as similar as he had supposed. His anger and bitterness were different and more dangerous.

"Another selfish brat, eh?" he said casually.

"Sasuke–kun is not selfish!" Sakura jumped to the scowling boy's defense.

"Oh? Then what do you call someone who only cares about himself?"

"He doesn't only care about himself!"

"Really? He wants to resurrect his clan. That is a goal that only concerns him. And he wants to kill someone. You don't get more selfish than that."

"He deserves it." Sasuke's voice was low and tight with anger.

"So do a lot of people," He replied, still keeping his tone light.

"He murdered my family!" the boy yelled.

Sakura gasped and Naruto spun around to look at Sasuke, who had stood up.

"And what do they think of you now? Their son, who is so obsessed with killing their murderer that he can't even think of a single thing that he likes? Is that what they wanted for you?" his tone is solemn now.

"I'll never know what they wanted because they're dead! He killed them!" Sasuke's eyes are bright with anger and unshed tears.

"Yet you dishonor their memory with the life you live. Tell me, if your mother could see you now would she be proud of you or concerned for you?"

Sasuke's mouth moved but no sound came out. He clenched his fists a few times then sat back down hissing softly.

"Your parents wanted you to be happy, Sasuke. This path you are on will make you miserable, more than you already are. And killing him won't bring your family back."

"He needs to die." Sasuke whispered.

Kakashi didn't respond. He looked at Sakura who was looking at Sasuke like she had never seen him before.

"Sasuke, I'm sorry, it must be terrible. I can imagine..."

"No, you can't." Naruto interjected. "You have no idea what it's like to lose your family."

"And you do?" she retorted.

"Yeah, I do. I don't even _remember_ my parents." Naruto said quietly.

Sakura looked like she was going to respond when he interrupted. "It you turn, Sakura."

"Oh… My name is Haruno Sakura… and I like," she glanced at Sasuke. "Ano… I like the color pink… and my dream for the future? Ano… I dislike Ino pig…"

"Okay that's enough." Kakashi said, trying not to roll his eyes. He had forgotten how infatuated Sakura had been.

"Tomorrow will be you final exam.."

"But we already passed our exam at the academy!" Naruto cried.

"Of the twenty-seven graduates only nine will be chosen as Genin. The rest will be sent back to the academy. The exam is super difficult. It has two parts. In the first part you must answer the question I give you to my satisfaction. The second part is survival training I will be your opponent.

"Then what was the point of graduating?" Naruto yelled.

"Oh, that was just to select those that have the chance to become Genin. You'll be graded on the field. Bring your shinobi tools." He smiled through his mask.

"I'll give you my question now so you have tonight to think about it. Remember if you get it wrong, you fail. If you lie to me, you fail. So Naruto? why should I help you become Hokage? Sasuke, if I were to go to the Hokage and ask him to forbid you from ever letting you avenge you family what would you do? And Sakura? Give me one good reason why I should bother to train you to be a ninja when what you care about most is Sasuke?

He jumped onto the railing of the roof looking down at their nervous faces.

"Don't be late. And don't eat breakfast, you'll throw up."


	4. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3: Answers**

Kakashi was tired. Last night he had spent some time waiting for the apprentice medic-nin Kabuto to return to his small apartment after his night shift at the hospital. As much as he'd like to expose Kabuto as a spy, he had no evidence and the man was far too intelligent to leave any traces of his treachery. He might have confronted him but from what Kakashi remembered Kabuto had been on a level similar to himself. At least without the Mangekyo Sharingan and he did not want to use that unless he had no choice.

So He'd waited patiently until the young man fell asleep before slitting his throat with a kunai.

It'd been quick and silent. Kakashi hadn't made ANBU captain for nothing. And the traps the Sound nin had set in his apartment were pathetic. Really, you'd think a spy would be more careful about that sort of thing. He'd retired to his apartment to catch a few hours sleep before being awoken by a desk Chuunin informing him that the Hokage wanted to see him. The Hokage hadn't been alone in his office. Morino Ibiki and was there along with several ANBU. He recognized the mask of Tenzou.

"You wanted to see me Hokage-sama?"

"Kakashi, take seat please,"

He did so, crossing his feet at the ankles and folding his arms behinds his head, looking as nonchalant as possible. Ibiki scowled at him but Sarutobi smiled benignly and took a draw of his pipe before continuing.

"Yakushi Kabuto was murdered in his bed last night." The Hokage said. Kakashi raised his eyebrows.

"Who?"

"You know who! Your scent was all over Medical Ninja Yakushi's apartment!" Ibiki shouted.

"Oh, the medic-nin. I met him last night while he was walking home. He saw me reading the newest Icha Icha book and we started talking about the series…" Kakashi shrugged, secretly pleased with his cover story. "He invited me to his apartment, we talked for a bit and I told him I'd lend him some of my Icha Icha books later this week—"

"What time was it?" The Hokage interrupted.

"It was pretty late, around two in the morning, I think. I didn't make it back to my apartment until three…" Kakashi glanced at Ibiki.

"I didn't think, ah, did you say his name was Kabuto? I didn't think Kabuto-san was that important…"

"All of Konaha's citizens are important," The Hokage said firmly.

Kakashi bowed his head apologetically.

"I know. I meant—"

"We know what you meant," Ibiki interjected "And no, he wasn't in any position of importance nor was he working on any special research. As far as we can tell he was just an ordinary apprentice Medical Ninja. He'd failed the Chuunin exams more times than is normal—most ninja's just give up after their third or fourth try—but that could just mean he was dedicated."

"Does his family know anything?" Kakashi asked, already knowing the answer.

"He was an orphan," The Hokage said sadly. "A Miko named Yakushi Nono found him injured on a battle field without any memory. She ran the Konaha orphanage at the time and took him in."

"Yakushi Nono? I've heard that name before…" Ibiki mutered.

"Did you see anything unusual when you left Kabuto-san's apartment?" The Hokage asked.

"No… but I wasn't looking for anything at the time. Who do you favor for the attack? Iwagakure or Kirigakure?"

The Hokage shook his head. "It's too early to come to any conclusions just yet, we need answers. In the meantime, I've raised the Konoha security level to three and canceled all Genin missions that take place more than ten kilometers outside the village."

"They won't like that," Kakashi commented.

"_And_ I want the Jounin sensei's to train their students together twice a week, that way the sensei's whom aren't instructing can do some interior patrol and gate duty." Kakashi groaned inwardly. Gate duty was the worst.

"You don't know that my team will pass the test yet," he pointed out.

The Third's smile was a bit too smug when he replied "Then you'll have more free time to devote to gate duty, won't you?"

Kakashi couldn't keep his eye from twitching. He'd forgotten how evil the Third Hokage could be.

On his way down from the top of the Hokage tower, he ran into Iruka, who was carrying a load of scrolls in his arms. Upon seeing him, Iruka stopped so abruptly that several scrolls fell from his arms and tumbled down a flight of steps before coming to a faced, Iruka retrieved the fallen scrolls while speaking quickly.

"Kakashi-san? You're Naruto's Jounin sensei, right? We had ramen together last night and we were taking about that question you asked him… I told him that he wouldn't get in trouble for asking me for help with it, he was really nervous about getting it wrong. He won't be in trouble, will he?"

Kakashi raised an eyebrow "Why would he get in trouble for going to a comrade for help?"

"That's what I told him," Iruka said, looking relieved. "Anyway, I've got to deliver these…"

He started up the stairs shouting behind him "Have a good day Kakashi-san!"

Kakashi arrived two hours late to the training field, feeling amused because for once he hadn't actually intended to be late. He was glad to see that his students looked as tired as he felt. Sasuke had dark rings under his eyes, Sakura looked disheveled, her hair sticking out from her hitai-ate that she used as a headband. And Naruto, Naruto was asleep, sprawled out on his back, his mouth open.

Sakura nudged Naruto who woke with a start and, upon seeing Kakashi, yelled "You're late!"

"I got lost on the road of life." He said happily.

"Liar!" Naruto responded.

"Since you seen so energetic this morning Naruto, you can be the first to answer your question. I trust you've spent time thinking about your answer?" He waited until the three of them nodded, then he glared at his students, crossing his arms.

"I _will_ know if you are lying, so don't even try. Remember if you get it wrong, you fail. Are you ready Naruto?"

The blond swallowed, glancing nervously at his teammates. Sasuke was looking paler than usual and Sakura was twisting the hem of her red dress.

"Why should I help you become Hokage, Naruto?"

"So I can protect the people who are precious to me. Like Iruka-sensei and Old Man Hokage and Teuchi-san and Ayame-san." The boy looked more serious than Kakashi had yet seen him this time.

"What if protecting them means you cannot become Hokage?" Kakashi challenged gently.

Naruto balled his hand into fists and looked down at the grass.

"Then I would give up my dream of becoming Hokage." He said softly

"Naruto," the boy looked up at Kakashi's hard tone. "That is a good answer. If you pass the next test, I will do everything in my power to help you become Hokage."

"Really? Thank you Kakashi-sensei!" Naruto jumped, thrusting his fist into the air.

"Now, Sakura." He interrupted Naruto's impromptu celebration. "Why I should bother to train you to be a ninja?"

Sakura glanced at Sasuke then at Naruto, who was looking at her encouragingly, and then at her hands that were still wringing the hem of her dress.

"I…Sensei, I was up all night thinking about why I want to be a shinobi and I…I…" the girl looked close to tears and she finished in a whisper "I don't know why I want to be a Kunoichi. I really don't know."

"Why did you join the academy? You're from a civilian family, right?"

"Yes. I joined because Ino was going. She's from the Yamanaka clan and she was my only friend…"

"I see," Kakashi was silent for a moment while Naruto immediately went off about how good a ninja Sakura would make.

"Naruto is right, Sakura," He said.

"What?"

"You have the potential to be a great ninja. You were the first in your class at the academy and that takes talent. Your answer is acceptable. If you pass the next test, I will help you find your reason to be a ninja."

"Thank you, sensei." Sakura said softly.

"Sasuke, it's your turn." The boy's face was expressionless save for his eyes which had narrowed slightly.

"If I were to get the Hokage to forbid you from avenging you family, what would you do?"

"I'd leave." The boy spat. He was scowling now, his hands balled into fists.

"You'd turn traitor?" Kakashi kept his voice light, ignoring Sakura's gasp and Naruto's yelled 'what!'

"No! I'm no traitor! Not like, not like _him_."

"Yet you said you'd leave if we don't let you kill him."

"Who are they talking about?" Naruto asked Sakura, who shrugged, looking just as confused.

"That doesn't mean I'd be a traitor!" Sasuke protested, ignoring his teammates, staring at Kakashi with smoldering eyes.

"If you left the village to pursue something that the Hokage had forbidden you from doing that would make you a traitor, Sasuke. You would be declared a missing-nin and ANBU would be assigned to hunt you down. I'll ask you again, if you are not allowed to avenge your family, what would you do?"

Sasuke stood up, barred his teeth, and raised his hands in a classic taijutsu stance. Kakashi could sense that he was gathering chakra. He was almost certain that the boy was going to try and attack him when Naruto yelled:

"Oi, Sasuke! If you help me become Hokage I'll order you to avenge your family, that way you don't have to leave."

Sasuke blinked, looking at Naruto, who grinned. Slowly the boy lowered his hands.

"Like you'll ever be Hokage, dobe." He sneered at Naruto, but it sounded less sincere than his usually insult. Sasuke's face was devoid of expression again as he addressed Kakashi respectfully from behind his long bangs.

"If I am not allowed to avenge my family, Kakashi-sensei… I do not know what I will do."

Kakashi sighed. Maybe this hadn't been such a good idea after all.

"Sasuke, I asked you this question because, as a Ninja of Konaha, I must do what is best for the village. But, as your sensei, I must do what is best for _you_. While killing the man who destroyed you family might be good for Konoha I do not know if it would be good for _you_. "

Looking at his three students, the impassive Sasuke, the smiling Naruto and the concerned Sakura, Kakashi clapped his hands and said cheerfully:

"Now for the hard part of the test!"


End file.
